Double Blind
by g for gnome
Summary: When the perky fairy from Regina's past turns up in Storybrooke, the mayor struggles to discover if everything she is being told is true, but it seems this new Tinkerbell has other business besides catching up with the former queen. Rated just to be safe, might change.


_"What about me?" the girl's desperate voice pitching in panic. "I stole for you. And for nothing. I'm in big trouble!"  
"As I said, you're a terrible fairy." she heard her own voice, low and dark.  
"I thought we were friend," the words cut into the young witch, leaving a searing wound in their wake.  
"I don't have friends," it was more an admittance than an attack. She was quick to cover her weakness. "Fly away moth! Don't let the doors catch your wings on the way out."  
She couldn't control herself. It wasn't her. It was the darkness. She saw the pain in her companion's face. She knew she should stop it. Stop her. But it was too late. The darkness wouldn't allow it. She needed to be broken. She needed to be alone. Now she was.  
"Tinkerbell wait!" she called to the distant sprite, but she was already halfway to the courtyard. Regina followed her as far as her balcony allowed, still broken from her first fall. She stood on the edge of the brick work. She wouldn't be alone. She wouldn't let the darkness win. Not again. She let herself fall. She chose freedom. The wind whistled past her ears, ringing a sweet goodbye from the world before the final crash.  
_  
Regina woke with a start, her breathing heavy and hoarse. Another nightmare. When the curse was first enacted she didn't seem to dream at all, but now that the son sharing sheriff was around it seemed the only dreams the Mayor saw were nightmares; horrors of the land that was no more. She sat up in her bed to recover herself, but was halted by the throbbing pain in her head.

A trickle of light seeped in through the gap in her curtains, marking the start of another weekend. Her clock read 9:17am, three minutes before her alarm was due to go off. Gently, she lay her head back down on the pillow, careful not to fall back to sleep. Regina closed her eyes to listen to the music the new day offered. Birds sang in the tree in the front yard. Cars whizzed past the manor, none ever stopping. A motorbike stalling in front of her house. Her son's voice making conversation outside. Wait. What?

The mayor shot to the window; regretting it as the searing pain in her head reprised. Sure enough there was her son making jolly conversation with the owner of a vibrant green motorbike. She couldn't see their face, as it was obscured by the helmet they still wore, but by the stature it was apparent they were female. Regina took a moment to ponder the idea that Emma rode a bike, but then remembered the infamous red jacket and yellow death trap she drove everywhere, and thought perhaps not.  
As if cued by the brainwave, the Sheriff rounded the corner into Mifflin Street that very moment, parading her tank and sweats on her morning jog. The view of Emma in the morning was not uncommon to the Mayor; in fact it had become a daily occurrence. Often, it seemed to Regina that the blonde would time her round perfectly to the second Regina stepped out of the front door to take her son to school. At least that's what she assumed. Ironically Emma saw it in reverse; that it was actually Regina who timed her coming out of the house to the point the Sheriff turned down her road.

The brunette observed from her bedroom window the happenings below. The blonde had paused to chat to her son and the newcomer. Curious, Regina eased opened a window to listen to the conversation.  
"So you're new in town?" Henry asked.  
"Yeah, just stopping by for a few days to visit an old acquaintance." the biker said, an alien accent lacing her voice. Regina recognised it, but could not place from where. A subtle smile crept to her lips hearing her son's interest in something other than the usual fairytale talk. No sooner had the smile appeared did it leave, as a frown replaced it when she realised how truly awful she felt for lying to her son. It wasn't that she didn't want him to know, she did, just not quite yet.  
"Well if you're looking for a place to stay," Regina heard Emma say, snapping her out of her guilt stained thoughts, "Granny's is just down the high street. This," the blonde motioned to the manor, causing Regina to duck out of sight, "is the Mayor's house. And if she sees you talking to us… If she sees you talking to him-"  
"I know," all it took was those two words and this stranger immediately enflamed the Mayor's scepticism. Though not as much as her next sentence, "believe me I am well aware of that woman's temper."  
"You know my mom?" a sigh of relief escaped the Mayor's lips to hear that, while he so hated her, Henry still considered her his mother, even with Emma around.  
"You're her son?" the stranger's shocked tone confused Regina. Henry nodded and stuck his hand out as invitation of greeting. A gloved hand shook it. What was she hiding? Regina wondered. Her son let the biker know he was aware of her avoidance of his question. "Don't miss a thing does he?" she said. Emma shook her head. "Well, don't worry Miss..." the woman began, before realising she didn't know the Sheriff's name.  
"Sheriff Swan." Emma laughed, "Just call me Emma."

Unknowing to the blonde, Regina had also let out a low chuckle of her own, remembering her constant lack of usage of the younger woman's first name. It was more a habit now than a way of annoyance.  
"Well Emma, don't worry, I'm just familiarising myself with the streets. I'll stop by this 'Granny's' after my run." with that the stranger mounted her bike and was off. Regina saw Emma scrutinise the distancing bike, then look towards the manor, focusing on the particular window she saw the Mayor peeping from, shaking her head disapprovingly when she met the woman's gaze. Regina was one of very tight convictions, eaves dropping was one crossed off her list, so to be caught in the act was most embarrassing.

Later, that night, when Henry was tucked into bed and convincingly asleep, Regina admitted herself to an early slumber. After double checking all the lower level doors were locked, she headed back upstairs. Upon passing her son's bedroom she couldn't help but peer inside, watching the young boy sleep. She had often watched over him as he slept as a baby, scared that he would disappear if she left his side. Quietly she made her way over to her son to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead. He had filled the void that had been inside her for the first eighteen years of the curse, and yet every night she slept on the chair in the nursery Malificent's voice rang in her head. Even ten years on, she feared he would be taken from her; literally now that his birthmother was in his life. Regina smiled slightly, reminding herself how silly she was being. Yes, Emma was in Henry's life and by default hers, but as she had told the Mayor, she was not trying to steal him away.

It took a lot of effort to leave the sleeping boy, but she knew she would need to follow suit as she was never good on less than eight hours. Whilst closing the curtains in her bedroom, she noticed a familiar bike parked in front of her house, tinted orange in the glow of the lamplight. Leant against it was its owner, facing the exact window Regina currently stood at, their helmet arrogantly hiding their identity.  
"Who are you?" the brunette questioned.  
That was it. No more illusions. No more wasting opportunity. Sliding on her silk pyjama top Regina swiftly made her way to her front yard, but in the time she'd made it from her bedroom to opening the door, the bike, and its rider, had disappeared. The siren of a fire truck wailed somewhere in the night.  
"_What_ are you?"

Earlier that evening, on the other side of town a petit blonde woman stood at the front desk of Granny's Bed and Breakfast.  
When sign of life could be heard from the back room she spoke. "Hello?" a Kiwi accent called out. "I'd... I'd like a room please." a dark brunette clad neck to toe in red poked her head round the door.  
"So you want a room?" she said, with what sounded like slight amazement.  
"Did I not just say that?"  
"Forest or Square view?" the blonde took a moment before accepting the square, a small grin playing at her lips as she was handed the key. Bidding the brunette thanks and goodnight she headed toward her assigned suit. "I didn't catch your name!" the other woman called when she received a confused look she clarified "for the records."  
"Faye" the woman introduced "Faye Monet."

After unpacking the little she carried in her rucksack, Faye lay on the bed, fiddling with the small test tube, complete with stopper, decorating her necklace. Inside the substance glistened a mesmerising shade of purple. A few minuets passed before she got up and walked over to the window, picking up the handgun from the ledge and aiming it across town, firing it twice.

Morning at the diner. Faye was sat at the counter nursing a double shot latte, what she had been doing for the last ten minuets.

"It's probably cool enough to drink now." she looked up to see the woman from Bed and Breakfast dressed in a waitress uniform with her skirt hitched possibly a little too high. Unsure of how to respond she just flapped her mouth open and shut. The brunette just laughed at her lack of speech and introduced herself as Ruby.

"Faye." Faye replied.

"Yeah I know," Ruby said, "I have you on book remember." It was Faye's turn to giggle, a tinkling sound. The brunette asked how the newcomer was finding the small town.

"It's quaint… Is there anywhere you don't work?" she answered, changing the subject. This prompted a hearty laugh from the waitress before explaining that it was a family run business that took the term 'Bed _and _Breakfast' very seriously. Out of the blue Faye asked "do you know where I might find the Mayor's office?" For the first time in her memorable life Ruby was a little taken aback by the wild card, not exactly sure how to answer, muddling through with saying it was the big white building downtown, but not the one with the clock tower.

The petit woman was about to pay and leave, coffee cup still nearly full, when the Sheriff walked in, calling Ruby over instantly. Immediately Faye repositioned herself on her chair and finally began to drink her latte.  
"This isn't my field and I know you're the ears of the town," Faye overheard, "did you hear anything on the forest fire last night? I came into the office with a static report."  
"No, nothing." Ruby replied "I'll ask the boys when they come in and report back to you."  
"You're a star. Also," Emma continued "blonde 9 o'clock, what's her game?" she asked out of the subject's earshot.  
"Who? Faye? Not found out much about her, why? You on the fence about something?" Ruby raised a suggestive brow.  
"Nice try," Emma replied "Regina's got me on the prowl. She wants me to find out as much as I can."  
"Well besides being new around town, and a high spirited girl in want of a job, and directions to the Mayor's office, I've got nothing, so-"

"Why does she want to see Regina?" Emma cut in a bit too quickly.

"I didn't think to ask, not my business, nor yours if I'm honest," the brunette poked playfully at the Sheriff's chest "but if you really want answers why don't you talk to her instead?" She watched as, without hesitation, Emma sauntered over to the other blonde, pulling up a stool and asking "Why are you here?"  
Faye finished her mouthful of coffee before asking "Emma Swan right? Pleasant morning to you also."  
"That isn't an answer."  
"You're right, it isn't." the petite woman smiled smugly. Emma waited… and waited… and waited…  
"Look," she said impatiently "whatever intentions you have here it's caught the mayor's-"  
"With all due respect Sheriff, my intentions are none of yours, nor Miss Mill's business" the small blonde shot. "Now if you'll excuse me I have places to be and things to attend to." in a swift motion she paid and left, not noticing the cheque she dropped upon standing. Emma picked it up. On the back of it, in heavy scrawl was written a note:

_- Storybrooke Maine_

_- Mayor - Regina_

_- Convent_

_- 'Estella Neel'_

"I think I know why she's here." Emma breathed.

Around lunchtime on the other side of town Regina sat at the dinner table poking a slice of lasagne she'd made for lunch. It was most unlike her to lose her appetite, but the feeling she was under constant scrutiny was overpowering her want of food. The coffee that sat beside it seemed to be comforting her nicely however, though the grumble of her stomach disagreed. She kept thinking about the biker from the previous night. Who was she and what was her business in Storybrooke? But the most pressing, and unsettling question for Regina, was why had she been outside her house that night? Asking Emma to keep an eye on the stranger seemed a little over the top, even to the power driven mayor, but the fear of an old companion returning terrified her more than she cared to admit. Though she knew the chance of a resident remembering who they were was unlikely, the fact Rumplestiltskin and Jefferson could, gave her good reason to worry.  
Absentmindedly she checked her watch, cursing the time it showed; she had a meeting in just under an hour. Packing the food into a box she shoved it in the fridge and hurried out the door, snatching up her briefcase on the way.  
Unlocking her car she noticed a small pink, six-point-star shaped flower clipped to her windscreen, too pretty or well placed to have just fallen or blown there. She appreciated someone's gesture, but didn't have time for this. She tossed it on the passenger seat and sped away.  
Though brief, the drive to work had the mayor's mind spinning. She sat in her parking space for a brief moment just looking at the flower, juggling thoughts of who or where it came from and what to do with it. She settled on taking it into her office and leaving it rested on her desk before starting back up on her work.

_She waited, but the crash never came. Upon opening her eyes she was back in the four poster bed at the top of her tower; a green mist sinking into the floor.  
"Never again." she heard a familiar voice say._

A buzz on the intercom receiver woke the mayor with a start. Confusion etching into her features; she never dozed off at work. A woman's voice came through the phone.  
"Madam Mayor, you're two o'clock is here." she said. When Regina gave no reply another buzz came, "Miss Mills? Would you like me to send them in?"  
"Yes" the mayor hurried to answer, getting a hold of what was going on in the conscious world.  
Quickly she ordered her desk, clearing all the papers she had been working on into neat organised files. She was so occupied in her hurrying that she didn't notice the person come in.  
"Tinkerbell." a woman said. Regina's head snapped up at the name. It wasn't often she expected much from these meetings, but when expecting something, it was rarely the unexpected. Stood by the now closed door of the mayor's office was the blonde, once rather perky, green fairy Regina had met and turned away in Fairytale Land. She took a moment to gather her thoughts, which had scattered and abandoned her upon laying eyes on the woman. Was she still asleep? Was this just an illusion caused by lack of food? Was this really Tinkerbell? A million questions hit the mayor at once but only one escaped her lips.  
"What?"  
"The flower," the blonde said "it's a Kalmia Tinkerbell."

The mayor gave a small sigh of mixed relief and disappointment.

"I didn't think you got them in this area of Maine."  
The town was bordered by miles forest, which most likely rooted thousands of species of plant alone, Regina would be more surprised if there were a flower they _didn't_ have.

The blonde saw the mayor's confusion so elaborated, "Storybrooke. I haven't seen that many exotic flowers in all the time I've been here."  
'All the time'? Regina questioned herself. Had Tinkerbell really been in Storybrooke all the time the curse had been in place without her knowledge? The brunette wanted so much to ask but fear of the answer stopped her.  
"Forgive me Mayor Mills, I haven't introduced myself, I'm Faye Monet" she said offering a hand for Regina to shake. The mayor smiled and took it as an odd combination of calm, confusion, disappointment and relieve settled in her stomach.

It seemed the curse had done its bit on the Fairy, but still Regina felt the need to ask "Faye? Is that a middle name?"  
"Why on earth would I give you my middle name?" Faye queried.  
"No reason," the mayor chuckled nervously, "but I thought you said you were T-" the mayor stopped herself. If Tinkerbell truly had been affected by the curse, calling her such would be disastrous "Tanya."  
"Tanya?" The blonde wrinkled her nose at the name; a look Regina had to admit was cute beyond comparison. She apologised, stating she looked like a Tanya. "If you really wanted to know," Faye continued with a chuckle of her own, "it's Uaine."  
It was Regina's turn to question the name "Uaine?"  
"My mother was rather exotic with names." the blonde explained.  
You're telling me, Regina thought.  
"Anyway shall we on with this interview?"  
The mayor had completely forgotten the reason they were standing there; too engrossed with the notion of her only childhood friend standing in front of her after decades of thinking she'd never see her again. "Y- Yes..." she stuttered "Wh- why are you here exactly...?"  
"Well I passed your residence last night and was fascinated by your garden," it was then that Regina felt silly for being so paranoid the previous night; Tinkerbell... Faye... had been looking at the garden "especially you're hunnycrisp tree-"  
"You seem to know a lot about plants, Miss Monet" Regina shot, more out of curiosity that accusation.  
"They're an obsession of mine, it's almost embarrassing really," Faye admitted "but I was wondering, seeing as you seem so busy with office work, what with you being mayor, if you maybe wanted a gardener."  
"Yes." the brunette said a bit too quickly. She paused and took a breath "Yes..." she repeated in a calmer, more sophisticated tone, a smile playing at her lips at the thought of revising her friendship with the once fairy.  
After an extended hour of discussing the details, Faye got up to leave, assuming her time with the mayor was long since up.  
Regina stopped her "Miss Monet," the blonde turned to face the mayor, "thank you. It's much appreciated someone understands."  
"Believe me, I can usually tell when a person needs help." Faye got out before her departure.  
"You have no idea." Regina sighed after the door had officially closed behind the blonde.

"You seem a lot perkier this afternoon, blondie." Ruby joked as Faye hopped onto a barstool, ordering her second latte of the day.  
"I got myself a job." the blonde smiled brightly with pride. The waitress complimented her fast work and asked in which field she would be working. "Only a part time gardener at the Mayor-"  
"You're working for Regina?" a voice came from the doorway.  
"Sheriff Swan." Faye addressed. Behind the counter Ruby made quick work of Emma's usual hot chocolate, presenting it just in time for her to sit beside the smaller blonde. "Is it suddenly a crime to work for the mayor?"  
"Not at all," Emma said, "it's just a rather advanced target for a newcomer to aim for on her second day in town."  
"This coming from the woman who took the role of Sheriff within her first month?" Faye fired at Emma, stunned expression plastering the Sheriff's features. "Information travels fast around small towns. And target is such an accusing word, don't you think?" Faye wavered, "So what is your problem with the mayor exactly? I don't remember you mentioning it yesterday."  
"That's because, much like your intentions, my business with Regina remains between me and her." Emma hissed through gritted teeth, fast becoming impatient.  
"Is it true what people say about you sharing her son?" Faye continued, taking a sip of her latte with a sly grin, "How does that work exactly?" she pondered, seeming to know exactly what would spark flames in the Sheriff.  
To her surprise Emma took a deep breath and in a hushed tone asked "Do you honestly think _you_ can just flounce in here and bombard _me_ with questions?"  
"All due respect Sheriff Swan, I do not flounce," Faye pointed, "I flutter. And yes I do believe I'm entitled to ask my own questions."  
"You flutter?" Emma questioned the other woman's choice of word.  
"Flutter, skip, jitter along, whatever you want to call it." a tinkling giggle escaped the small blonde. Neither woman had noticed Ruby's silent umpiring of what seemed a game of word tennis. Current score: Faye - 3, Emma - 1.

Back in her office, Regina sat staring at the small red flower she had acquired at lunch. Was it possible that the name was merely a coincidence? Or had Tinkerbell, Faye, planted it there? Unable to clear her head the brunette decided to call it a day. Maybe an early night would do her some good. Picking up the bud, Regina ploughed out of the building, bidding her secretary goodbye upon her leave. Then she was free.

On the drive home she couldn't help but run the interview with Faye over in her head. Had she really agreed to let her tend her garden? While it was just a part time job, she felt it was the foundation to rekindling the friendship that was once there, and that terrified the mayor; she wasn't sure she was ready.

Not a moment after Regina had set foot in the house, she was out again; minus her briefcase. A walk. Yes, a walk would clear her head. Carelessly she let her legs carry her wherever they wished to go, and then cursed her leeway. The Sheriff station? What business did she have there that day?  
"Madame Mayor." Emma stood in shock upon Regina's entrance, clearly not expecting her. The brunette just stood in the door for a moment, still struggling to come to terms with why she had ended up there. "Mayor Mills?" Emma asked concerned when seeing the confused frown on the Mayor's face.  
"Did..." Regina thought how to word her sentence a moment, "have you found any information on our new arrival, Miss Swan?" she asked, authority settling back in quickly.  
"As far as I know she's here to reconcile with someone," Emma explained, "I'm not sure who yet, but I'm fast working in it."  
"Well not fast enough it seems." Regina snapped.  
"For someone who just hired her as a gardener, you seem rather dubious." all it took was a warning glare from the older woman to tell Emma that it was for good reason. "Okay, okay, but remember I have other work too."  
"Breaking up bar fights and chasing down speeding cars," the mayor scoffed disapprovingly, "I shall leave you to your job, Miss Swan, but mark my words; this woman does not belong here."  
On her departure, Regina noticed the familiar green bike park up against the sidewalk, its rider now all too well known to the mayor. Faye dismounted her vehicle and removed her helmet.  
"Mayor Mills," she addressed a little out of breath, "pleasant afternoon to you" Regina gave a subtle nod and continued on her way, not allowing the blonde access to her time.

Back inside the Sheriff's station Emma watched as Faye rounded the corner.  
"Have you got it?" she asked. Emma nodded, revealing the slip of paper the smaller blonde had dropped the previous day.  
Before handing it over the Sheriff asked "Who is Estella Neel exactly?"  
"My business" Faye answered.  
"You want the note, you answer the question."  
The other woman sighed "She's my mother. Now hand it over."  
"I said 'exactly'." Emma cocked an eyebrow, "If she lives at the convent, which means she's a nun, making it impossible for you to be a daughter."  
"Implausible, not impossible," Faye pointed as she reached for the note, meeting air when Emma ripped it away. Both sides were getting impatient with the other "if knew exactly who she was I wouldn't need your help would I?!" she continued with a sigh "Look, I can't explain it exactly, but for some unknown reason to my mother ended up in the convent, whether she's a nun or not I don't know, just give it to me please."  
The Sheriff pondered the thought for a moment, "How about this: I'll go to the convent and ask around for this woman and give you a call when I find something."  
"You don't have my number."  
"I have Granny's and she can put me through to your room." Emma said obviously. Finally Faye gave in.

Later that day Emma parked up outside the convent further out in the town. Sitting in her car she read over the slip of paper, memorising the name. _Estella Neel_. Someone came up by the side of the car and knocked on the driver window, startling the focussed blonde. It was Mother Superior.

"Sheriff Swan," the nun greeted when the Sheriff finally stepped out of her vehicle, "is something wrong?"  
"No, not at all," Emma reassured, resting her arms on the roof and door of her car, "but I was wondering if you could point someone out to me,"  
"Of course" the head nun said.  
"Do you have anyone called Estella Neel in your convent?" the blonde asked.  
"I haven't heard that name for many years, but yes. What possible business could you have with her?" questioned Mother Superior.  
"I don't, this new woman around town is looking for her, claiming this Neel is her mother."  
"That's impossible." the brunette breathed.  
"That's what I said, especially if she's a nun, but Faye is conv-"  
"No, Sheriff, you don't understand," Mother Superior began, "I am Estella Neel."


End file.
